USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Visits Taiwan

In This Issue

Feature Article: USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Visits Taiwan...............................................................................................................1

EPA Launches the International Environmental Partnership Plan... ...............................................................................................................4

First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership a Success.................................................................................................5

A New Era of Electronic Management for Waste Clearance and Disposal Organizations..............................................................................6

Management Regulations for Using Category 4 Toxic Substances Preannounced........................................................................................7

Wetland Restoration Successes Have Ecological and Educational Value.......................................................................................................7

Samples to be Tested at Three Analysis Laboratories to Avert Disputes.........................................................................................................9

American ITIC Delegates Visit EPA to Discuss Cooperation on Waste Electronic Products.........................................................................9

Recycling Fee Rates for Fluorescent Tubes to Be Raised...............................................................................................................................10

2014 Green Vehicles Announced.......................................................................................................................................................................10

EPA Advocates Sustainable City on 2014 Earth Day........................................................................................................................................11

News Briefs....................................................................................................................................................................................................12

Vol. XVII Issue 5, 2014 Environmental Policy Monthly 1

May 31, 2014

USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Visits TaiwanUSEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy recently spent a three-day visit in Taiwan which included a meeting with President Ma Ying-jeou on 14 April 2014. During her time in Taiwan, Administrator McCarthy took part in a number of events including the Taiwan-US Sustainable Schools Partnership Program, the Taiwan-US 20 Years of Cooperation Exhibition, and the First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership. She also delivered a public speech at National Taiwan University.

USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy visited Taiwan from 14-16 April. Her visit was the first

ever by a USEPA administrator and the first in 14 years by a member of the US cabinet since 2000. When President Ma Ying-jeou received Administrator McCarthy on 14 April, he spoke about how she has been working in the field of environmental protection for 30 years, which gave her the depth of experience necessary to take over the reins of the USEPA in July 2013. He also expressed his admiration for the way she has handled complex environmental issues. President Ma went on to thank the US for the assistance it has given to Taiwan over the last

20 years of mutual cooperation in environmental protection that has led to enormous achievements. These include a 70% reduction of heavily polluted sections of 50 major rivers in the last 10 years; a 73% reduction of poor air quality days since President Ma took office; a 66% reduction in refuse production from a peak of 1.1 kg per capita per day to the current 0.38 kg; and a reduction in fuel combustion CO2 emissions from 2.76 mill ion tonnes to 2.64 mill ion tonnes annually, which helped Taiwan drop from the world’s 18th largest greenhouse gas emitting entity to the 21st in terms of per capita emissions.

2 Environmental Policy Monthly May 2014To mark her visit, the EPAs of Taiwan and the US held a series of partnership meetings and events. During Administrator McCarthy's visit to the Taiwan EPA, Minister Kuo-Yen Wei expressed Taiwan’s delight in welcoming her and he praised her for the intelligent way she has been implementing President Obama’s climate change policies and for the concrete contributions she has made toward environmental protection in the international arena.

Twenty-one Years of Cooperation in Creating a Sustainable Environment

Since the 1993 signing of the Agreement between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection there has been continuous close cooperation between the EPAs of Taiwan and the US. Through the medium of 200 cooperative programs over the last 21 years, the AIT and the USEPA have selflessly shared their knowledge of risk management and environmental law administration in the fields of environmental monitoring, information systems, and soil, air, and water management. The many examples of successful technology transfer have done much to raise environmental capacities of Taiwan governments at all levels, a model for neighboring emerging nations to emulate.

Administrator McCarthy’s trip to Taiwan has been an affirmation of the joint efforts over the last three years by Taiwan’s central and local governments, the general public, and the USEPA to promote regional partnerships for environmental governance and technology exchanges. She also praised Taiwan’s practical efforts to create a sustainable environment, and Taiwan’s willingness to lend a helping hand overseas.

During her visit, Administrator McCarthy toured Jian-An Elementary School in New Taipei City to see their low-carbon classrooms and eco-pond, and to give a talk as part of a video conference between the young students and their counterparts in Ben Franklin Elementary School, New Jersey. Following that, she went to view the Taiwan-US 20 Years of Cooperation Exhibition, and then delivered a speech at National Taiwan University. In her speech she lauded the amazing progress Taiwan has made in environmental protection, especially in the fields of policymaking and technology development that she said should be

shared with the world.

Administrator McCarthy also pointed out that pollution is blind to borders and thus needs the cooperation of all nations involved to solve environmental problems. She said that the establishment of the International Environmental Partnership would not only increase the number of nations participating in partnership programs but would also act as a platform for Taiwan to share its environmental successes and thus help to improve the global environment.

Reaffirming Taiwan’s Waste Reduction as a Role Model

Administrator McCarthy started her speech by pointing out that the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), enacted on 10 April 1979, has now served as the cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations for 35 years. More than three decades of implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act has seen relations between the peoples of Taiwan and the US deepened as the world has become more connected. But pollution doesn’t stop at borders, she said – in an increasingly interconnected world, our shared challenge is clear. It demands a unified response.

Administrator McCarthy said that the Taiwan EPA is not only a willing partner but an emerging leader as one of the first agencies in the Asia Pacific region to tackle pollution in the face of rapid industrial growth. She also said that since the signing of the cooperative agreement in 1993 there have been many years of bilateral cooperation and exchanges of knowledge and technology on environmental matters such as air and water quality, chemical safety, soil contamination, e-waste recycling, etc. Taiwan today, she said, is earning recognition as a worldwide environmental leader. As an example, Taiwan’s success in reducing e-waste could be a model for e-waste initiatives in Central America and Africa.

Administrator McCarthy mentioned that the main purpose of her visit was to support Taiwan’s new international environmental partnership, which recognizes past progress and the important future contributions Taiwan can make around the world. She believes that “The progress we (US and Taiwan) have made together made peoples' lives better on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. When we work together – we can succeed together.” She continued, “But today, many environmental and health challenges


have persisted and become more complex. These challenges call for continued cooperation. And no threat requires more commitment and cooperation than the threat of global climate change.”

Mitigating the Threat of Climate Change Requires Universal Participation and Cooperation

Extreme weather events – such as Hurr icane Sandy that battered the northeastern US in 2012 and Typhoon Haiyan that hit the Phil ippines in 2013 – are becoming more frequent and powerful. These events are a threat to both human safety and economic development. The latest report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns of the threats to food security and increasing water scarcity.

Administrator McCarthy said that we are all vulnerable to the unfolding risks of a changing climate, be it from temperature changes and more disease-carrying insects, or increased storms and floods and diminished crop yields. The impacts of climate change will vary around the world, but as has been seen with record-breaking hurricanes, wildfires, and drought in the US – no one is immune.

“We all face climate change together. We must fight it together.” Administrator McCarthy also emphasized

that the United States is firmly committed to joining with Taiwan and economies around the world in supporting research and taking action to address climate change. Hundreds of US communities and businesses are engaged.

Environmental Education Reminds Us that We Live in a Global Village

Administrator McCarthy was particularly impressed with Jian-An Elementary School in New Taipei City, pointing out that environmental education not only has the power to make communal environments more livable and more sustainable, but also reminds us that we live in a global community and share a common destiny. She lauded the cooperation between the young students of Jian-An Elementary School and Ben Franklin Elementary School in New Jersey in organizing their own green councils and running air and water conservation operations.

She concluded her speech by saying that the pragmatic actions of these young environmental leaders of the future was educational not just for themselves but also for the people in their local community, and were food for thought for all of us. They are the eco-warriors of the future pushing environmental protection forward by building on the foundations laid down over the past 20 years.

President Ma meets USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy

4 Environmental Policy Monthly May 2014

International Cooperation

EPA Launches the International Environmental Partnership PlanOn 14 April 2014, EPA Minister Kuo-Yen Wei read out the founding declaration for the International Environ-mental Partnership under the witness of President Ma Ying-jeou at the Office of the President. USEPA Admin-istrator Gina McCarthy was also present to witness the declaration, and stated that the US was to be one of the founding partners of this program which covers a variety of areas.

E PA Minister Kuo-Yen Wei read out the founding declaration for the International Environmental

Partnership on the morning of 14 April 2014, under the witness of both President Ma Ying-jeou and USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. President Ma said he was delighted to have witnessed the EPA’s establishment of the International Environmental Partnership, which is a major milestone in Taiwan-US relations that clearly demonstrates Taiwan’s partnership with the US and also displays Taiwan’s commitment to contributing to the international community by giving regional and global partners the chance to share in Ta iwan ’s success fu l experiences.

Administrator McCarthy stated that the US was to be one of the founding partners of this important program. She stated that the partnership was of

immense value in that it will help Taiwan to share environmental expertise and experience with leading environmental organizations in nations around the globe. She reaffirmed the close cooperation between the EPAs of Taiwan and the US, and said that she felt deeply honored that the two nations were able to be founding members of the International Environmental Partnership.

The scope of the Internat ional Environmental Partnership program currently covers the following:

•Soil and groundwater contamination site remediation and management

•Air quality protection

•Greenhouse gas emissions reduction

•Clean-air ports

EPA Minister Kuo-Yen Wei read out the founding declaration for the International Environmental Partnership under the witness of both President Ma Ying-jeou and USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

Vol. XVII Issue 5, 2014 Environmental Policy Monthly 5•Taiwan-US sustainable schools

•Sustainable low-carbon communities

•Electrical and electronic waste recycling

EPA Minister Kuo-Yen Wei said that the First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education

Partnership falls under the framework of the 10th Implementation Arrangements for the Agreement between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Environmental Protection, as one of the regional/global environmental partnership plans that both sides agreed to implement from 2013-2015. The experts participating in the First Meeting of the Global

Environmental Education Partnership were from nine countries: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Taiwan and the US. The meeting was an opportunity for the experts to discuss the state of environmental education in their nations and future challenges, as well as to plan future cooperation on key issues and establish channels for exchanges.

The First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership opened on 14 April at the

The First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership was held at the EPA.

Environmental Education

First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership a SuccessFrom 14-16 April 2014, the EPA held the First Meeting of the Global Environmental Education Partnership, which was attended by USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and experts from various nations. The purpose of the conference was to promote and show support for environmental education partnership programs around the world. The conference concluded on 16 April with attendants expressing their satisfaction with the outcome.

•Environmental enforcement

•Environmental education

•Climate change adaptation

6 Environmental Policy Monthly May 2014Taiwan EPA. To allow deeper and broader discussion, on 15 April a meeting was held in conjunction with the International Conference on Environmental Education Capacity-Cross Boundary and Capacity Building. Presided by EPA Deputy Minister Hsin-Cheng Yeh, the meeting wrapped up discussions about the next two years of cooperation for the Global Environmental Education Partnership Plan and the formation of task forces.

Deputy Minister Yeh gave a speech during the closing ceremony, at which he specially thanked the attendants for their hard work and contributions during the three days of the meeting and expressed his admiration for the efficient way they got things done. He pointed out that the strong consensus reached

meant that there was now a clear set of plans for future tasks. These include:

1. Holding an annual conference to discuss key issues.

2. Taiwan and the US will make a concerted effort with their partners worldwide to promote the Global Environmental Education Partnership Plan. A special effort will be made to enhance the capabilities of key environmental education projects.

3. An Internet platform will be established to facilitate video conferencing, the exchange of information, and planning and implementing the related projects.

To prov ide was te c lea rance and d isposa l organizations with a dedicated website that can

provide users with a convenient and efficient query service and also to facilitate the management of such enterprises by environmental agencies, the EPA began planning out the new information system in 2012. The system has eight major functions: information disclosure, permit applications, permit review inquiry, information submission, inspections and auditing, information inquiry, statistics, and information maintenance. Once the system goes online it is expected to bring the benefits described below.

1. Information sharing to facilitate good service and management

Both manufacturers and the general public can use the system to find information on licensed waste clearance and disposal organizations around Taiwan. The system also provides updates on revisions to regulations. For waste clearance and disposal operators, there is information on the latest waste

management policies and upcoming meetings, and there are lateral connections to related systems so that they can submit waste disposal reports. In addition, environmental agencies can use the system to allocate tasks according to authority, and conduct inspections and implement controls.

2. Experience sharing to improve interaction and communication

The system allows local government environmental protection bureaus to publicly commend outstanding enterprises within their jurisdictions by providing performance data that manufacturers and the public can check online. The clearance and disposal operators can also use the system to discuss their problems and opinions with environmental agency personnel, thus strengthening lateral connections between them.

3. Full digitalization of online applications

T h e E P A e x p e c t s t h a t b y S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4

Environmental Inspection

A New Era of Electronic Management for Waste Clearance and Disposal OrganizationsThe EPA formally launched its Waste Clearance and Disposal Organizations Service and Management Infor-mation System (http://wcds.epa.gov.tw/) on 1 May 2014. The EPA has asked local government environmental protection bureaus to inform waste clearance and disposal organizations within their jurisdictions about the new regime, and to assist them with online registration, which will enhance their management.


Wetland Restoration Successes Have Ecological and Educational Value River water quality can be enhanced by appropriately treating household wastewater, so since 2003 the EPA has been continuously subsidizing local governments for the construction of 57 constructed wetlands designed to remove pollution from household wastewater. Nine sites have now been designated as National Wetlands of Importance. Cooperation between central and local government departments over managing the wetlands has led to excellent results both in terms of environmental construction and ecological conservation, and the wet-lands are now important sites for environmental education and leisure activities.

Water

In order to promote the work of conserving Taiwan’s Wetlands of Importance, on 1 July 2010 the

Toxic Substances

Management Regulations for Using Category 4 Toxic Substances PreannouncedIn order to strengthen permit regulations, the EPA has preannounced a draft of the Management Regulations Governing Permission to Use Category 4 Toxic Chemical Substances, that will provide local environmental agencies with a better set of regulations to refer to when approving the use of such chemicals.

On 11 December 2013, the EPA announced revisions to the Toxic Chemical Substances

Control Act to update regulations regarding approval of use of toxic chemicals. At the same time the EPA also preannounced the formulation of a draft of the Toxic Management Regulations Governing Permission to Use Category 4 Toxic Chemical Substances that st ipulates periods of val idi ty for Category 4 toxic chemical substance related documents, and specifies how said substances must be handled. The regulations can be referred to by local competent authorities when reviewing applications to use Category 4 toxic chemical substances.

clearance and disposal organizations can use the system for permit application, extension or change. Environmental agencies can also use the system to review received permit applications and issue permit certification. This function is in line with the EPA’s target of full electronic management of permit applications.

At present there are 3,602 clearance enterprises and 168 disposal enterprises in Taiwan. The EPA plans to upgrade the system by establishing a real-time monitoring mechanism to help prevent illegal dumping.

In order to prevent toxic chemical substances from polluting the environment or harming human health, the EPA formulated the Management Regulations Governing Permission to Use Category 4 Toxic Chemical Substances as authorized by the Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act. The regulations cover: permit appl icat ion; review procedures; permit issuance; change, extension, suspension and cancellation of permit; and the content of each application form. These application forms can be downloaded by applicants from the EPA’s information platform. The regulations also state that Category 4 toxic chemical substance permits issued before the promulgation of the new regulations will be treated as temporary permits and that holders should apply for new permits within three years.

Executive Yuan approved the National Wetlands of Importance Conservation Plan, to be jointly


Linluo Constructed Wetland

implemented by the Ministry of Interior’s Construction and Planning Agency, the Ministry of Economic Affairs Water Resources Agency, the Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau, the Ministry of Education, and the EPA. At present, there are 82 wetlands classified as National Wetlands of Importance, and the EPA has subsidized the construction of constructed wetlands at nine of these places. These include national-level ones in the Dansui River basin (at Sinhai, Fujhou, Daniaopi, Chenglin, and the Lujiao River) and also four local-level ones: Toucian River Ecological Park in Hsinchu County; Dashu Old Railway Bridge wetland in Kaohsiung City; Linluo wetland in Pintung County; and Guanshan wetland in Taitung County.

Constructed wetlands are a stopgap measure that is employed until sewage systems are fully constructed. The EPA has copied nature in constructing wetlands that reduce the burden of pollution on rivers by partially purifying effluent. From 2011 to 2013, the EPA provided local governments with subsidies for wetlands conservation, restoration, water quality monitoring, ecological surveys, as well as education and promotion.

Vigorous efforts from central and local governments over the years have resulted in the nine constructed wetlands mentioned above, not only maintaining their original function of water purification but also becoming a habitat for a rich variety of flora and fauna. Ecological surveys have discovered that from 2011 to 2013, bird species in the wetlands have increased from 109 to 111; fish species have increased from 35 to 36; and amphibian and reptile species have increased from 35 to 38. In tandem with increased biodiversity and ecological stability, the wetlands are also gradually being transformed into sites for environmental education and leisure activities.

Note: Constructed wetlands remove pollutants by imitating the functions of natural wetlands in purifying water. They are constructed by placing aggregates of soil, sand and gravel in trenches dredged in low-lying areas in or near bodies of water. Aquatic plants that can purify water are also usually planted in such wetlands. The purification process begins with effluent flowing through the soil and sand for filtration, absorption, and precipitation to occur. Organic substances and suspended particles then can be absorbed by aquatic plants or be decomposed by microorganisms.


T he citizens of Taiwan are becoming increasingly insistent when it comes to environmental test

data quality. Whenever there is an environmental change, the change can be verified through samples taken from test sites. However, test results for the same sites can show variation due to differences in location, time, or the test process adopted. In order to minimize the public's doubts on about test results, the EPA now allows environmental agencies that conduct environmental pollution investigation to select three environmental analysis laboratories to conduct comparative testing and to calculate results with dispensed samples. Doing so will allow testing to be carried out in accordance with environmental regulations and will also avert arguments about the validity of test results.

In the past, both environmental organizations and factory operators questioned the legality and adequacy of having a single set of test results produced by a single analysis laboratory to decide whether or not a factory had been responsible for

Environmental Analysis

Samples to be Tested at Three Analysis Laboratories to Avert Disputes In order that environmental test results become more representative and to increase credibility of data, the EPA now allows environmental agencies that conduct environmental pollution investigation to select three environ-mental analysis laboratories to conduct comparative testing and to calculate results with dispensed samples so that the whole process may be as open and fair as possible.

environmental pollution. On 14 April 2014, the EPA announced procedures for dividing samples for environmental testing, so that collected and dispensed samples can be sent to three different analysis laboratories for testing. The test results will thus be more acceptable to those concerned, removing the main cause of interminable disputes over test results. For example, disputes commonly revolve around whether or not pollution concentrations in a sample of soil are above legal limits. If all three analysis laboratories report that the sample exceeds or falls within limits then this would obviously be more persuasive to the stakeholders involved.

The EPA points out that sending samples to three different laboratories neither violates nor requires revisions to existing regulations but is simply applying a statistical method to increase the credibility of data. For example, the triple analyses for heavy metals in soil done by three laboratories will reduce the variation in results from 15% to 5%.

Waste Management

American ITIC Delegates Visit EPA to Discuss Cooperation on Waste Electronic ProductsFrom 10-11 April 2014 the US’s Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) held its annual conference in Taiwan. On 11 April, five delegates representing major international corporations such as Dell, Apple, and Lenovo visited the EPA to discuss Taiwan’s management of the recycling and import/export of waste informa-tion and communication technology (ICT) products. The foreign guests left with a deeper understanding of Tai-wan’s waste ICT product policies and expressed the desire to use existing channels of cooperation to establish partnerships with Taiwan.

T he ITIC’s membership is drawn from over 50 of the US’s most renowned information

technology companies and has long been involved in environmental issues. Every year it holds its annual conference in a different region of the world so that the import/export and disposal/recycling of ICT

products can be discussed with the host nation.

The ITIC delegates were particularly interested in Taiwan’s management of the import/export of waste ICT products. EPA staff explained to them that Taiwan’s policy is to evaluate each import/export

10 Environmental Policy Monthly May 2014application on a case-by-case basis while prohibiting import/export until permits have been issued. Details of treatment processes and the final destination of any peripheral waste must also be submitted online and tracked so that proper control can be maintained from initial import/export to final treatment. The EPA also pointed out that the import of hazardous waste is prohibited under Taiwan’s law, meaning that waste computers and information technology that are

Recycling

Recycling Fee Rates for Fluorescent Tubes to Be RaisedThe EPA is currently formulating revisions to recycling fee rates and subsidy fee rates. The increase in recy-cling fee rates for fluorescent light tubes is tentatively set for 1 July 2014.

I n recent years there has been a large increase in the recycling rate for waste light bulbs and light

tubes in Taiwan, and thus there has been an increase of subsidy fees paid by the recycling fund. In order to stabilize the recycling of waste illumination sources and the operation of the recycling fund, the EPA is looking into revising related recycling fee rates and subsidy fee rates. The adjustments are slated to take effect in July 2014.

In recent years, the lighter T5 fluorescent tube has gradually replaced the conventional T8 tube, which has resulted in a significant decrease in recycling fund revenue. Due to the longer life of T5 products, the bulk of tubes currently being recycled are of the heavier T8 type, which means a larger proportion of subsidies are being paid out for less environmentally friendly products. In order to stabilize the recycling of waste illumination sources, the EPA conducted

a review of the recycling costs and decided that revisions to the fee rates were required.

The amendments to the recycling fee rates and subsidy fee rates for illumination sources have been drafted after a thorough review of recycling costs, fee collecting costs, reuse value, environmental impact, and the financial status of the recycling fund in question. The recycling fee rates are expected to be increased while the subsidy fee rates are expected to be decreased. The EPA is urging citizens, public and private organizations, and corporations not to heedlessly dispose of waste illumination sources but rather to dispose of them through the proper recycling channels in order to protect the environment. The said channels include local government resource recycling vehicles, lighting retailers, or any other recycling organization that has been approved by an environmental agency.

classified as hazardous industrial waste cannot be imported.

The EPA estimates that in 2013 there was an average of 6.01 kg of electric and electronic waste for every resident of Taiwan, which is above the EU target of 4 kg per person per year, and is evidence of Taiwan’s outstanding recycling performance. The EPA statistics also showed that in 2012 the recycling rate for announced recyclable items reached 80.4%.

Air Quality

2014 Green Vehicles Announced The EPA has finished the evaluation process for the 2014 green vehicles selection. Eight hybrid car models, seven gasoline car models, one diesel car model, and 13 motorcycle models have been selected. The results are published on the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide website (http://greencar.epa.gov.tw/) so that members of the public can get information to help them choose a low-emission, low-noise and fuel-efficient green vehicle.

A fter conducting evaluations of 228 gasoline car models, 72 diesel car models, and 131

motorcycle models that rolled out in 2014, the EPA

selected eight hybrid cars, seven gasoline cars, one diesel car and 13 motorcycles as green vehicles. Information on the selected green vehicles can


Environmental Education

EPA Advocates Sustainable City on 2014 Earth DayEarth Day falls on 22 April every year, and is enthusiastically observed around the world. On 27 April 2014, Minister Kuo-Yen Wei made a special trip to the Maple Garden Ecological Park in Taichung City to preside over an Earth Day activity aimed at advocating the importance of establishing sustainable cities, an endeavor that can mitigate the impacts of climate change and global warming. By so doing, the EPA calls upon citizens to pay attention to environmental issues and to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle.

be found at the Green Vehicle website, which also provides the specifications of each vehicle. Compared to the 2013 selections, this year has seen the addition of another hybrid car, a diesel car, and five more motorcycles.

Graded from 1 to 11, the vehicles were assessed according to how eco-friendly they are in terms of pipe exhaust pollutants, noise and fuel consumption. To be selected as an EPA green vehicle, models had to reach at least grade 6 for each of these three categories with a total score of not less than 21 grade points.

To provide full and timely disclosure of the latest information on green cars, as of April 2014 the EPA has started giving eco-friendliness scores to new vehicle models that have passed emissions, noise, and fuel consumption inspections the previous month. These scores are now published before the 15th of every month on the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide website at http://greencar.epa.gov.tw/. Members of the public now merely need to click on the “green vehicle inquiries” tab, which will then bring up six

selection items for the vehicle – type, brand, year of production, power source, engine displacement, and imported/manufactured in Taiwan – by which green vehicles that meet the selection criteria will be listed. Each green vehicle’s performance on pipe exhaust, noise and greenhouse gas emissions are also given a separate score and shown on the list.

E arth Day was established in 1960; this year marks the 45th year that Earth Day has been celebrated

globally. Every year, on 22 April, nations in the world advocate the importance of loving the Earth, and this year was no exception. This year, the global theme of Earth Day was “Sustainable City” of which the three major points were sustainable energy, green buildings, and low-carbon transport. Since Taichung City was selected as a “Green City” by Environment Online in 2012 and was the first Asian city to receive such an honor, the EPA specifically collaborated with the government of Taichung City to organize this year’s Earth Day celebration activities, hoping that through their diversified nature, the general public could learn about the new concepts of sustainable city as well as the substance and components thereof.

The Earth Day celebration activities invited three special guest entertainers: Ah-Fu from Germany, Sylvia from Nigeria and Shaun from the UK. Sylvia said that once she took a fun trip to Taichung and took out NT$50 for the bus fare. To her surprise, the bus driver told her that the ride was free of charge. After inquiring around, she learned that any ride shorter than 8 kilometers was free in Taichung. This was made possible by the City Government of Taichung, which used this measure as an impetus for its citizens to take public transportation in order to promote low-carbon transportation. As this has become nationally famous, Taichung City can be said to be a paragon of virtue insofar as building a sustainable city is concerned.

EPA’s Green Vehicle website


Environmental Policy MonthlyR.O.C. (Taiwan) PublisherKuo-Yen Wei, Minister

Editor-in-ChiefTsung Yung Liu

Executive EditorsY. F. Liang; Yu-Ling Yang; Li-Kuo Hsiao; Shao-Wen Chang;Jason Hoy

TranslatorPeter Morehead

Editorial and translation support provided by:Hui-kuo Consulting, Ltd.

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Delving into Climate Change Policy Innovations to Pursue Green Growth To exp lo re the i ssues a round fo rmu la t i ng and implementing policy instruments dealing with climate change and the harmonization and uncertainty of international green financing schemes faced by major nations, the EPA organized the “International Conference on Innovations of Climate Change Policy Instruments and Green Financing” on 5 May 2014.

For this international conference, the EPA invited experts from several international institutes to share their opinions and experiences. These institutes included: the Energy Saving Trust of the UK, the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany, the Capital R Street Institute of the US, the Environment Institute of Korea and Nagoya University of Japan. The British expert spoke on the Green Deal mechanism and the responsibility of energy companies; the German expert spoke on green investment and strategies for green financing; the American expert talked about the viewpoints of greenhouse gas control strategies; the Korean expert talked about the policy instruments for greenhouse gas reduction; while the Japanese expert elaborated on energy taxes and emission trading

mechanisms. Through these experts’ keynote speeches, Taiwan greatly expanded its horizons in terms of academic perspectives and policy implementation.

Number of People Holding Environmental Education Learning Passports Exceeds 10,000To raise the environmental literacy level, the EPA has established the “Environmental Education Lifelong Learning Net” for the general public to use. In addition, on 1 March 2014 it kicked off the “2014 Environmental Education Lifelong Learning Promotion Plan” to encourage citizens to cultivate lifelong learning habits through the full use of learning resources. Although it has been only two months since the launch of the plan, the number of people who hold valid leaning passports has already exceeded 10,000.

A prize draw is also provided for those who have successfully registered on the E-learning Net of the EPA, completed at least one-hour course in environmental education and clicked “Yes” to participate in the prize draw. For detailed information, please log onto the designated website at http://elearn.epa.gov.tw/epp/index.html.

News Briefs

Capitalizing on the occasion, the EPA set up exhibits for the new electric compression garbage trucks and some low-carbon transportat ion vehicles. Interactive booths on sustainable cities, prize draws for winners of environmental educa t i ona l games , and auctions of recycled bicycles were also held, while electrical motorcycles and electrical bicycles were offered to the general public for free test rides to allow people to try out low-carbon transportation. Activity held in Taichung City for Earth Day

Documents

USEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Visits Taiwan